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Kokrska and Jezerska Kočna

Guest29. 11. 2011 17:38:41

Yesterday I set myself the goal to climb Jezerska Kočna via pathless terrain from the south side.

I find a couple of route descriptions via the SW ridge and drive to Suhadolnik, where I start the traverse and ascent towards the ridge. First along animal highways transversely and slightly up and when it seems to me that I crossed Skedoven stream I start ascending steeper towards the ridge.

Soon I'm on the ridge, which looks solidly trodden, so I follow it. It only bothers me because nothing is visible in the dense forest and I'm not 100% sure I'm on the right ridge..

I continue along the ridge, which is getting steeper and for a couple sections I had to seriously think how to get over..

Already quite high I finally reach a small clearing, where you can see around a bit.. I look at the photo of the desired ridge and compare it to the ridge on my left - completely identical! UF, NO! I missed the ridge! I'm not on the right pathless terrain, but on completely unknown and untraversed terrain!

I decide to continue and turn back in case of excessive difficulties, although reluctantly. Again I quickly gain height with scrambling through steep forest/grass/shrubs/rocks finally to the top of the ridge, where the situation shocks me..
In front of me a wall that looks utterly impassable, the ridge ahead likewise, if not even worse..
I check the map, where I am and what I'm looking at - S wall of Kočna, i.e. Krvava peč - the ridges guide says grade III-II (with details IV) And that's also the end of the description :|
Too much and I already know I'll turn back.. After one hour of scouting and hesitating I decide to descend.. But since there was already quite a lot of time for descent, it strikes me - not the same way!

I descend via steep grassy gully 100m lower below the wall, where I wish to at least inspect the thing up close since I'm here... I also notice a possible passage into the wall and conditionally across it, well at least to 3/4, further it looks quite vertical.

Soon I'm under the wall and again change decision and tell myself to go check the grassy shoulder at the start of the wall, how it looks further, then descend. I reach the shoulder surprisingly easily (animal highway). There nothing was visible, but some 10 m of climbing already so warmed my joy and melted doubts, that without serious concerns I scramble straight on..

Although with slight doubt in heart, what awaits me towards the top of the wall, but if it doesn't go, I can still turn back..

Soon I see that the wall is insanely dissected and it's possible to climb almost everywhere, if you find passages then you can almost always walk (on steep grass and scree). I chose rocks and in pleasant scrambling hurry on, towards the steep walls at the top of the ridge.

All the time doubts surround my doing, since I'm getting higher and higher and still don't know if the wall above is still safely (if at all) climbable..
The closer I approach the top, the more it looks like I'll succeed and fewer doubts and even greater enjoyment.. When I see it will go, I'm only worried if this is really the summit I'm climbing to... At the top it turns out that a quite risky traverse to the main dome awaits me, but soon luckily I spot cables and the path - and a stone falls from my heart - SUCCESS !!

Quickly I ascend to Kočna, where deservedly I enjoy, alone in the middle of crazy mountain scenery, my peace, and satisfaction after successfully conquered S wall of Kočna. And that in the spirit of first ascenders nasmeh

..

Follows lightning-fast descent to the bivouac and via pathless to Suhadolnik (in between I even find a spring).. At the car I'm already in the dark.. Super tour, recommend to lovers of virgin places and solitary pathless routes nasmeh

Wall: scrambling I-II grade (depending on choice, but no need to risk even once), if you stray then up to IV.. I'll return for a couple planned projects nasmeh

skrajnik29. 11. 2011 17:39:53

Since Gost writes posts instead of me, I'm attaching... velik nasmeh

a couple more photos...

in person, at first glance not very attractive wall

tomko30. 11. 2011 17:39:24

Congratulations!
I'm also looking and collecting descriptions of this route. Not this year, maybe next year. Where did you turn left?
zmeden

JusAvgustin30. 11. 2011 19:27:04

All data available in "must have" namely Milenko Arnejšek-Prle, Ridges of Slovenian Mountains, detailed descriptions, no sketch though, but great feature of the book is its readability and sense of orientation that certain ridge evokes in you, plus uncle google surely knows something. But for me searching passages and right ridge line is pure drug. Climbing ridges are the sense of weekday work... mežikanje

Regarding your planned projects: go for it man! nasmeh

Volk1. 12. 2011 09:32:21

Congratulations for this exploratory approach also from my side. But I must say I don't agree with the use of certain terms in the report. Obviously you ascended Kokrska Kočna via the wild slope between SW and S ridge. It's an area of numerous steep ragged gullies and ridgelets, where at first glance one could ascend to the upper ridge in many places. The real south wall, which is too much even for Jus (hehe) is located between both arms of the south ridge (upside down ipsilon). mežikanje

Cheers and good luck.

JusAvgustin1. 12. 2011 14:36:57

we shall see... anyway, what about the occasional four? mežikanje

skrajnik1. 12. 2011 18:12:47

Yes, I've been delving into this my "route" for 2 days already - descriptions, on map, 3d gaea+ and it's increasingly less clear to me where exactly I went and missed the "right" ridge..

Somehow it seems to me (and 3d gaea looks like it too), that "Volk" is right and I really tackled the wall between SW and S ridge - but that would mean I ascended the right - SW ridge (in the picture - with the bulge)?

But continuation of the ridge was unenjoyable (according to MM descriptions and others it's pure pleasure there)...

Nothing yet clear.. velik nasmeh

Anyone know more?

ps: I'm clear on that, that I didn't go over the "real" S wall, because it's surely too rough.. and more ...
From "my" ridge I descended right under the wall, to the ridge I got by having to traverse further right - to the path (if gone over Krvava peč, according to map I'd have to reach the top and traverse left - to the path).

šodrovc1. 12. 2011 22:07:01

Skrajnik, that's right, as Volk explained to you. You went along the slope, admittedly steep and terribly dissected, between SW and S ridge and not over the wall. And as you figured out yourself, you took it right of that bulge, which by the way is called Mala vratca and is part of SW ridge. Excellent summit, where you must obligatorily stand if you decided to ascend SW ridge to the top Na Križ, but can also be excellent pathless goal by itself. From Mala vratca (descent from it is for connoisseurs straight to the saddle velik nasmeh

) to the top Na Križ you break through relatively easily mostly with some one, all the time right along SW ridge from which mostly no need to stray too much. About the tour you can read more in Vladimir Habjan guide - Brezpotja where it also has its description (Kočna via southwest ridge).

Cheers nasmeh

skrajnik2. 12. 2011 00:22:33

OK, super, thanks, now it's a bit clearer to me..

so I went the right way and right (forested) ridge to the top of "malih vratc"??
And then got lost from the start of rocks(slope) onwards to the right??

True though, that I didn't look from "notch malih vratc" anything further along the ridge, because it looked then (too) rough nasmeh

....

ps: and if the descent to the saddle is really for connoisseurs - man, really a lot of nice awaits me - before I get there, I mean ... :? velik nasmeh

dprapr2. 12. 2011 08:59:18

From the notch you have to first go along the left side of the ridge - over rocks and steep grasses. Then as šodrovc wrote - along the ridge or along the right side of the ridge. There's actually no II degree anywhere, although it's mentioned in the descriptions! Maybe that spot when you cross from the left side to the ridge!?
Regards

Volk2. 12. 2011 09:23:13

Šodrovc, nicely explained. mežikanje

Dprapr, correct. No talk of a II on the SW ridge. But I agree with you that the hardest approach spot is that short climb above the Mali vratci on the north side back to the ridge (otherwise I'd say - nothing special, but it's exposed).

I'm curious if any of you has already climbed over the left branch of the south ridge (not the one above the bivouac). On occasion I've already stood right below it, but fog drove me away. At the beginning it suggests II degree.

Regards.

JusAvgustin2. 12. 2011 17:12:17

hehe nice debates have started, so there are quite a few of you gentlemen scree lovers. nasmeh

dprapr2. 12. 2011 18:24:37

What can you do, in old age we're just where we belong. Not for Čop anymore, so we take care of our soul in another way and chase around the scree - speaking for myself so no one gets offended. Jus, you're still too young for scree, don't you think!
Regards

JusAvgustin2. 12. 2011 22:27:34

Once you climb loose stuff you become much more confident and especially mentally self-sufficient. Above all confident. They also said I was too young for PP, then boom suddenly it becomes the PP hit of the year!

Anyway, see you up there somewhere!

LP, pipi team mežikanje

no mistake, you old cats still have a lot to teach us youngsters!

Jonny_11. 03. 2012 19:05:34

Who was recently on Kokrska or Jezerska? -What is the path like - how much snow, what kind, ...

mary12. 03. 2012 00:42:16

10.3. on Jezerska Kočna via Grdi graben and Spodnje Dolce. Conditions excellent! Only higher up more snow, but one walks nicely on it, crampons bite as needed!

Kočna illuminated by the first morning sunbeam :)

(+5)

matejam12. 03. 2012 20:30:46

Mary, congratulations on the ascent! I'm interested if maybe someone last Saturday, on 3.3.2012, from Grintovec photographed two mountaineers climbing towards Kočna summit from Dolcev direction, because I'd really like to see that photo. Thanks in advance for possible help!

Mateja

(+2)

redbull13. 03. 2012 08:05:03

What is the path like, if anyone knows, to Jezerska Kočna from Kokrsko sedlo over Dolce... If someone walked this path recently, I'm interested if it's passable (with crampons and ice axe, if one can get there normally). Because if going to Grintovec, then it's not enough, back too quick, one can still go to J. Kočna.
If somewhere too exposed and too demanding, mainly that's what interests me, if it's OK.

thanks

lp

ljubitelj gora17. 03. 2012 19:31:17

Today goal Kokrška and Jezerska Kočna. In the afternoon winter conditions, south-facing snow, very great caution on this ascent-descent. Personally for me this tour was pure enjoyment, I have already traversed the ridge in summer.

https://picasaweb.google.com/114400986607884783562/KokrskaKocnaTerJezerskaKocna